St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-12-15
AN OLD QUESTION.
overseer Noyes and the Poor Farm.

Joseph A. NOyes, Overseer of the
poor. feels aggrieved at the comments
the Caledonian has made on the poor
house matter. He says that our treat
ment of the subject has been shabby
and mean and that if his true position
in the matter is not fairly stated he
will take measures to have it done
The threat is wholly unnecessary as
the columns of this paper are always
open for the publication of both sides
of all cases of public interest. We
have no quarrel with Mr.. Noyes but
simply desire to see certain things
done that ought to be done and that he
admits he has the power to do.
Mr. NOyes' position in brief is this
He holds that the Caledonian permit
| ted the poor house to be managed as
it was under the old regime without
comRaint, stirring mp the matter on
his assuming the Office that, being
appointed to fill an unexpired term he
does not feel warranted in making ex-
vote of the town, and, more than this
that he does not think any overseer
would be justified in making improve
ments suggested without the vote OF
the town; he also declares that the
Office of overseer is one that he does
not want and did not seek, and does
not care for or expect reelection.
To begin at the beginning the Gale
DOMAIN has for years protested against
the management of the poor house and
farm, though not as positively as now.
Here we may have been at fault but
that makes no difference with the
present need of reform. The fact that
Mr.. Noyes is filling an unexpired term
has nothing to do with the case. He is
spending money every day in and
about the poor house and must neces-
sarily do so. He has the same right to
put in heating apparatus that he would
have to single the house, as his pre-
decessor very properly did, without
that no overseer would be justified in
expanding $500 or $500 in making
needed changes for the comfortable
care of the poor without special vote
is one that will be approved by tax
payers who will resort to any measure
to reduce the taxes, but not by hu-
M
that Mr.. Noyes has always done all
that was possible for the comfort of the
poor with the means he has at hand
The trouble is he has not enough al
hand, though he admits that the town
would be responsible for the cost oil
needed improvements if made.
We repeat that the articles i'm the
CaledOnian that have stirred up this
feeling were written at the request OF
some of our best citizens who were
more familiar with the condition OF
things than the writer and who have
expressed a willingness to be held re-
spOnsibe for the articles. Mr.. NOyes
himself told the writer when we view
ed the premises together, that "things
are not as you and l would like to
have them were our mothers obliged
to be here" We want no better evi
dence that improvements are demand
ed. Finally, those who live adjacent
to the premises inform US that the only
complaint that can be made concern.
ing the Caledonian articles is that they
have not half told the story, as matters
have been and are much worse thar
we have represented. The next time
this subject is tackled we will try anG
tell the worst of it. Meanwhile Mr..
Noyes has done some things for which
he is to be credited but he has made
no radical improvements and, if we
understand him, does not intend to, Sc
that affairs will remain substantially
as they are until the next town meet
ing.